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gambling den

gambling den

2 4.4
A secret place where people play games for money, often illegally
  • noun
  • /ˈɡæmblɪŋ dɛn/
translation icon : casa de apuestas
  • The local authorities shut down the illegal gambling den after a series of complaints from neighbors.
  • an illegal gambling den
  • gambling den and saloon

He just came back and now he's going to all these gambling dens in order to win these like spellbooks and stuff like that.

Examples

  • Why would Han Jiou stash it right in the middle of Chinatown's busiest gambling den?

  • You do wonder who runs Barter Town when the fat cat husband and wife duo, who run a gambling den in their gas station, are doing so well.

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  • You know, fun fact about this place, that this building is built in the same place as the first Chinese gambling den in New York.

  • - And got himself killed in a back-street gambling den.

  • I haven't found a gambling den yet that didn't depend on military pay vouchers to keep its doors open.

  • Every Saturday night, the gambling den is packed with players hoping to win big prizes.

  • He lost a significant amount of money at the gambling den last weekend.

Synonyms

casino
vsgambling den
513 2.6

A building where people gamble and often enjoy shows or food

is used more broadly for any public spot where games for money occur
gambling casino
vsgambling den
4 3.2

A building where people bet and find other entertainment like shows

focuses mainly on the location as a business for playing chance games
gambling house
vsgambling den
2 3.9

A public building where people play games for money, like a casino

is a broader term for any place where such games are played
hotel-casino
vsgambling den
2 3.0

A building with a hotel and a casino where guests stay and gamble

denotes only the gambling place without implying guest rooms or hotel services
betting shop
vsgambling den
  • UK
1 3.7

A shop where people place bets on sports events

refers to a public venue for various games of chance rather than bets only
casino-hotel
vsgambling den
1 3.4

A building that has both a casino and a hotel

is simply the term for the gambling place without lodging services
gaming house
vsgambling den
5.5

A public place where people play games for money like roulette and card games

is the general label for any place hosting those same games
gambling hell
vsgambling den
  • Archaic
8.6

A place where people bet money, often illegal and full of trouble

is neutral and does not imply illegality or a bad reputation

How Respectable

casino
513 2.6
gambling den
2 4.4
gambling hell
  • Archaic
8.6

Surface Forms

gambling den singular
gambling dens plural

Morphology

gambling + den

The meaning 'a place where gambling happens' is directly and compositionally derived from 'gambling' (the activity of risking money) plus 'den' (a lair or place). The noun+noun pattern indicating a location for an activity is common and the connotation of 'den' as a place of illicit activity makes the overall meaning clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The compound noun gambling den comes from the image of an animal's 'den', a hidden place where people meet to play gambling, meaning games for money. Because den suggests a secret or private room, the phrase means 'a secret place where people play games of chance for money'.